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Alt-Doc - For Self-Employed & Sole Traders

Low Doc Business Loan
- BAS instead of tax returns

Name: Mortgagefy
Address: Sydney, NSW, AU
Telephone: +61432634648
Price range: Free

By the Mortgagefy Team · Credit Rep 532656 of ACL 348324 · Published 2026-10-15 · Last reviewed 2026-10-15

Business income you can't show on a tax return - because you're newly self-employed, trading through a trust, or your accountant hasn't finalised last year. Low-doc lenders solve this.

Start Your Free Assessment 0432 634 648

Free Business & Commercial Assessment

Takes under 3 minutes. We'll match you with the right lender for your situation.

Who this is for

Self-employed Australians whose actual business income doesn't match what the tax return shows (or where there's no return yet).

Trading under 2 years - no full set of tax returns yet
Last tax return doesn't reflect current trading (post-COVID recovery, new contract, pricing uplift)
Trust or company structure where income is diverted for tax reasons
Sole traders with strong BAS turnover but limited net profit on paper
Multi-entity owners (trading co + property co + income support co)
Prior ABN with 1 year of trading in current ABN

The real challenge

The main banks need two years of tax returns and personal financials to approve a business loan. For a sole trader or small-business owner with strong turnover but a lot of legitimate deductions, the net income on the return often looks too thin to service a loan - even though the actual cash flow comfortably supports repayments.

Low-doc commercial lenders solve this by assessing the business a different way: from BAS turnover (one lender takes 40% of annual turnover as income), an accountant's letter confirming self-employed income, or 6-12 months of business bank statements. Pricing is higher than full-doc but the approval is possible when a full-doc one isn't.

How Mortgagefy helps

We know the low-doc panel. 8+ non-bank and specialist commercial lenders write low-doc business loans in Australia - we know each one's documentation preferences, LVR caps and sweet-spot loan sizes.
Accountant letter templates each lender accepts. Avoids the "letter doesn't satisfy policy" rework that adds a week to your file.
BAS-income math run honestly before submission. We tell you what income the lender will calculate from your BAS so there are no surprises in credit assessment.
Rate expectations set upfront. Low-doc pricing is higher than full-doc. We tell you the realistic margin before you commit.

Need to model repayments first? Try our Sydney loan calculators for an indicative figure.

How it works

15-minute call

What's the loan for, how long have you been trading, what documents can you produce easily?

Doc shortlist

We tell you exactly what to send - usually 12 months BAS, 6 months bank statements, accountant's letter template, director IDs.

Lender match & submit

File goes to the one or two lenders whose low-doc policy fits your profile. Decisions in 7-14 days typical.

Settlement

Formal offer reviewed; we handle lender liaison through to funding.

Get a personalised answer in 2 minutes

Free, no obligation. We'll match you with the right lender for your situation.

Frequently asked questions

What's the maximum low-doc business loan I can get?

Depends on security and lender. Unsecured low-doc caps at $150k-$500k. Secured low-doc against residential or commercial property can go to $2.5m-$5m, LVR 70-80% residential security, 60-70% commercial.

What income documents do low-doc lenders accept?

Common accepted documents (varies by lender): 12 months of BAS, accountant's letter confirming self-employed income, 6-12 months of business bank statements, interim financials signed by the accountant. Some lenders will accept BAS alone for turnover-based assessment.

How is my income calculated from BAS?

A common approach: the lender takes a percentage of your annual GST turnover (reported range: 40% from one broker source) as deemed income. The exact percentage varies - call us for the specific figure for your industry and lender.

Do low-doc rates cost more than full-doc?

Yes. Expect roughly 0.5-2.0 percentage points above a comparable full-doc commercial rate, depending on LVR, documentation strength and lender. Lease-doc investment property tends to be the least expensive low-doc category; unsecured business low-doc is the most expensive.

Can I move from low-doc to full-doc later?

Yes. Once you have two years of tax returns at your current trading level, refinancing to full-doc commercial typically saves 0.5-1.5 percentage points. We review this with you 18-24 months after settlement.

Will I need a personal guarantee?

Yes - for low-doc commercial, personal guarantees from the directors are standard. Non-recourse low-doc commercial lending is extremely rare.

What's the LVR limit on low-doc?

Residential security: typically 70-80% low-doc, 80% requiring stronger documentation. Commercial security: 60-70% low-doc, up to 75% for lease-doc on strongly tenanted investment property.

Get your free low doc business finance assessment

BAS or accountant's letter instead of two years of tax returns. We know which lender will accept your specific profile.

Start Your Free Assessment Call 0432 634 648

Related guides

Business Loans Sydney

Full-doc and low-doc business loans for every structure.

Low Doc Commercial Property Loan

Buy commercial property on BAS or lease-doc.

Short-Term Business Loan

3-12 month facility while finalising a longer loan.

Working Capital Loan

Line of credit, invoice finance and overdraft facilities.

Self-Employed Home Loans

Residential home loan equivalent of this product.

Equipment Finance

Chattel mortgage with low-doc options for sole traders.

Information checked October 2026. This information is general in nature and does not take account of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Business, commercial and development finance eligibility, pricing and documentation varies by lender and changes frequently. Confirm current requirements with your chosen lender and seek professional advice before applying. Mortgagefy — Credit Representative 532656 of ACL 348324.

Low Doc Business Loan- BAS instead of tax returns